In his first NBA trade deadline, Knicks president Leon Rose moved around the fringes, inserting the team into a deal to continue to build up future assets while retaining the team’s flexibility.
The Knicks became part of a three-team deal, sending Austin Rivers to Oklahoma City and Iggy Brazdeikis to Philadelphia while bringing in 22-year-old wing Terrance Ferguson, French 7-footer Vincent Poirier and Philadelphia’s 2021 second-round pick. Guard George Hill was sent by the Thunder to the 76ers and Philadelphia sent center Tony Bradley to Oklahoma City as other components of the deal.
The Knicks signed Rivers as a free agent before training camp and he arrived with reassuring words about his desire to be part of a rebuild of the franchise.